Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-05-10
THE SUNNY SOUTH.
Letter From the Gate CITY Of Alaba ma
Everything Booming and RIoosling.

The excitement ,n the gas and oil fields
of Ohio has for time turned the gaze of
| the investor from this section. With the
| sober second thought will come renewed in
| terest in the south, and it is believed that
| the emigration t0 this country in the late
| summer and fall will be greater that ever
| before. As one visits the growing towns
| and cities ot the south, and the country
around them. he easily understands
why this southern land should
be ~ happy and prosperous as any other
| section of the Tinted States. Nature has
| done everything for it, and only mans
energy and industry is needed 10 make il
bloom and blossom.
| The agricultural lands in this part of the
state are excellent. All the cereals, wheat,
! corn, rye, barley, a. we'll as clover and
| blue grass. grow rs well as in Kentucky or
anywhere else. Cotton and tobacco also
| flourish, and in some sections are staple
crops.
The lands are excellent and be bought at
| from $40 Ia s!5 per acre. IL is the desire
of the people that the large plantations of
from 800 to l,000 acres be cut
Iup into small farms, and
| farined and managed rs farms are in the
North. There is no doubt that this is the
best place in the United States for the small
farmer. He can raise here anything he
can in the North, and many things in the
shape Of fruits and vegetables that he can
not raise there. lie has also the finest eli
nate in the world, there being few days
when il is either too hot or too cold Ia work
comfortably out Of doors. Stock is easily
wintered, and there Is no place where there
is 81 good home market for good cattle,
| sheep. horses and hogs
Again. the banks of the Tennessee are
lined with virgin forests of the finest tim
ber trees in the world. These lands can
be- bought tor from So to $40 per acre,
and the timber on them is worth good
deal more than the cost OF the land. The
mineral lands also offer enticing prospects
for investment. New fields of iron ore and
coal are being daily discovered and opened
up to investors.
Near this town Of Decatur. it is believed
by experts that natural gas will be found,
and preparations are being made to bore
for ii. Should gas be found in quantities
for use. it will complete the catalogue o'
the natural resources Of this section. Then
there will be no place in the world whrr,
such combination of natural elements al
prosperity will be found. Think of 4
wealth Of timber. mineral. good soil. de
lighttul climate. fine facilities for transpOr
tarion-all waiting for entarprising men I,
take and use them.
A word in regard to Decatur. from whicl
Imy letter is dated. This is an old town lo
Gated on the Tennessee river at the crossing
of the Louisville and Nashville and tht
Memphis and Charleston roads. IL has eN-
cellent means for transportation, which will
soon be better. as new roads 10 Rome
Georgia, Selma. Alabama, and Aberdeen
Mississippi, will be built within Il year. BE
low the city, at a distance Of twelve miles
are the muscle shoals which have long i'm
pe,ied navigation in the Tennessee river.
The government has expended over bv,
millions Of dollars removing these obstacles
and the engineer in charge promises free
and Gnimpeied navigation before Octo
ber of this year. Then Decatu
can send her products to the north. south
east and west by water. So advantageous
does her situation appear that promlnen
citizen of Birmingham remarked 10 tn,
writer that Birmingham should have beei
built right here. and would have been If tn,
great advantages OF location had been in
| vestigated and known. II looks now tia
the only rival of Birmingham will be th'
city built mp At Decatur"
Paper towns are springing up every
where and are harvest fields for real estat,
agents. The men who are Interested il
building up Decatur have taken dtieren
course from these engaged in booming Othe
towns. They are working tO combine her,
all the elements Of materla
prosperity. Their plan has been Il
bring here AS many manufactures a
possible, and also as many men of smai
means. mechanics and business men VIII,
| will locate, build houses and factories ant
identify themselves with the city and it.
best interests.
| Early in the year q land and improve
ment company was organized, Ia deselol
Decatur. The president Of the comp any l.
Eugene Z. Gordon, brother of Governor
Gordon. of Georgia. The general manage
is Judge IL. Z. Bond, who has been PROM
inent promoter of many great enterprises
| east and west. The secretary is the genia
DIR. W. F.. Forest, for many years promi
uent physician of Washington square, New
York. These gentlemen form cOmbna
ton of talent, energy and honesty rarely
found in new towns anywhere in the land
All who have dealing with them are lou,
in praise of their manners and methods.
Among the manufactures in process %
erection may be- mentioned th. Chemica
Charcoal plant erected by DIR. Pierce o
New Wark. Fifty immense ovens have al
ready been built and other machinery is oI
the ground. There is nothing like thi
establishment in the L. s. Out OF the woO,
So abundant here will be- made charcoal
wood alcohol and acetate of lime. All tn,
wood and even the smoke is worked ul
into valuable products. 4 cord of WOO,
costing Sl.50 is turned into manufacturer
| al. h, Gro Nhap tho ,xnvl,
get into full operation they will be wei
worth visit by all interested in econni,
manufactures.
, Among the other manufactures already
located here are charcoal iron furnaces
coke iron blast furnaces. bridge works
brick manufactures, planning mills, cOttoI
compress company, machine shops, AN,
several other enterprises important all,
necessary 10 the building up Of a great city
The monthly pay roll of all these vii
amount 10 SlG5, 200.
This will give some idea for the OppOr
tunitrs for all minor kinds Of business. |
shows this to be the place for the poor MAJ
as we'll as the rich capitalist, and those h,
are here first will have the opportunity o
their lives.
OF course there are some disady antsgeS
but these will soon disappear. Hotel ac
commodations are deficient. 1t is hart
10 find houses 10 rent, and one misses fol
a time the comforts of the old towns ant
cities of the north. But these have NOR.
than compensation in the advantages otferet
for making money and getting a pleasant
home and good business.
The people here welcome everybody who
comes to work and identify himself with
the interests of the city or country. Moth
ing is heard OF politics, the war, partisan
ship and sectional jealousies. These are al
things of the past, and the newcomer i
welcomed and treated as well in every way
AS he would b- in any town or city of tht
north Or west Ii is surprising to see the
era of good feeling inaugurated between
the old soldiers who meet here. Nothing
but good feelings and kind treatment is
heard of. one might live here for months
and never hear the late war mentioned.